Lubricator head construction



Patented Nov. 16, 1948 Lewis R. Heim, Fairfield,l Conn., assignor to` t The Heim Company, Fairfield, Conn. I.

Application February 24, 1945, Serial No. 579,619

This invention relates to lubrication and more speciiically to lubricator head construction.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a lubricator head which is simple, practical, and

thoroughly durable. `Another object is tolprovide 3 Claims. (Cl. 18d-105) a construction of the above character which willy I be strong and well ableto withstand the strains Vof hard usage. Anothenobject is to provide a construction of the above character, the manufacture of which will be economical both `from the standpoint of labor and materials used. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which has a minimum of indi- K vidual parts, thus facilitatingits assembly. A

further'object is to provide a construction of the l above character` through the use of which an article may be lubricated in a minimum of time with a maximum of ease. "Otherobjects will be in part obvious and in` part pointed out hereinafter. I The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, `all as will be illustratlvely described herein, and the scope of the application which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown several of the Various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bearing having a lubricator head mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on `an enlarged scale of a portion of the bearing construction shown in Figure 1, showing the lubricator head in section; Y I

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, certain :parts being broken away for purposes of clarication; A

Figure 4 is a vertical section similar to Figure 2, showing a modified form of the construction shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a vertical section similar to Figure 2, showing still another modiiied form of the construction shown in Figure 2.`

Similar reference characters refer to similar ings K Referring now to Figure 1`,a rod end bearing,

`generally indicated at Ill, is shown. The upper shank portion I Ib of the bearing I0 has a bore I4 extending therethrough. This bore connects with `a lubricating groove betweenbushings I3V and is `parts throughout the several views of the drawusually internally threaded at its lower end to receive the `end of a rod I5. Bore I4 is `iilled with grease or other lubricant through a lubricator ahead, generally indicated at i6, and when lled forms a reservoir for supplying lubricant to bearing I2.

Lubricator head i6 (Figure 2) has a lubricating bore II'` extending thereinto from its right-hand end, as viewed in Figure 2. A hole I8 of consider-l ably smaller diameter than bore I1 opens into bore Il atits left-hand end providing a valve seat 2l fora check ball I9, which is of a smaller diameter than bore Il. The head portion IBa of lubricator head I6 (Figure 2) `is enlarged and its outer portion is beveled toward the axis of head I6. This forms a seat for the mouth 22 of the nozzle 2I (Figure 1) of a unit for injecting grease or other` lubricant under pressure` through the lubricator head into bore I4. The shape of mouth 22 is complementary to the bevel -of the cuter portion of head portion Ia and thus a tight connection is formed when the nozzle of the lubricating unit is mounted on the lubricating head. The lubricant under pressure is supplied to mouth `22 vofnozzle 2| through bore 23.

' )The shank portion Ib (Figure 2) of lubricator head I6 is cylindrieally shaped and iits with a force lit in a hole 2! in the shank I Ib of bearing I0. Whenv lubricator head I6 is being mounted in `hole 20, it isl driven ink until its inner end (Figure 3) strikes theopposite side of bore Il. Because of the curvature of the wall of bore Il and because the inner end of portion I'b is cut off in a radialfplane'the right-hand end of head I6 vstrikes the side Wall' atV points 24 and 25. This provides spaces, such as space 26, at both sides of the inner end of the lubricator head through vwhich the lubricant passing through hole I8 and bore Il passes into bore Il (Figure 1). Ball I9 is yieldingly held against valve seat 21 by a coil spring 28 which is inserted in bore Il prior to the mounting of head I6 on bearing I D. Spring 28 is voffsuiicient length so that when head I6 is mounted `on bearing I it is slightly compressed between the side wall of bore Il and ballA I9.

'lhusit Will be seen that lubricator head I6 may bemounted on bearing I0 with a maximum of ease. and that passageways connecting bores 'I4` and I1 are automatically provided. Spring 28 holds ball I9 seated against seat 2l thus prevent- Aing leakage of the lubricant from bore I1 and thus Ifrom bore Ill. p When the nozzle of the lubricant- .injecting'unit is seated on the outer portion of head I6, a tight `connection is made so that the lubricant passing through bore 23 passesthrough 3 hole I8 forcing ball I9 to the left, as viewed in Figure 2. This permits the lubricant to flow past ball I9, through bore Il (Figure 3) and into bore I4 to ll the lubricant reservoir.

Referring now to Figure 4, in Which a modified type of construction is shown, bore 32 is similar to bore i4 (Figure l) and bearing shank 33 is similar to the shank Hb (Figure 2) of bearing aligned with respect to the axis of bore 32. The

inner end of hole 34 is yieldingly closed by a" ball 35. This ball is resiliently held in sealing relationship with respect to hole'v 34byrneans`ofi a coil spring 35 which acts betweenth'e left-hand side wall of housing 33, as viewed-in. Figure 41,.

and lball 35. To limit inward movement of ball 35, a pin 3l is provided. Thi'spin'isposi'tioned' Within coil spring 36 and the right-hand ends of both pin 3l and spring 36, as viewed in Figure 4,. areseated in a. conicallyshaped recess 38. inshank 33 diametrically positioned across bore. 3.?v from hole 34. The right-hand'end of pin 3l is conicall-y shaped and it-coacts withl recess 38 to. aid in diametricallyk aligning the' axis of pin 3l an'd spring 36 with respect to bore 32..

In assembling this unit,ba1l. 35, Whichis ofslightly greater diameter than.- hole 34, is forced through hole 34. This prevents spring 36 from forcing ball 35 out through hole. 34'. and also insures the formation. of a tight seal between ball 35' and the. inner end of. hole 34 Whenever ball 35l engages hole 34. The left-hand edge of hole 34, as viewed in Figure. 4, is beveled to form a seat v:for the beveled edge 4l)A of the nozzle-Moi a pressure lubricating unit. Whena lubricant is being injected into the bearing, lubricant under pressure passing through the hole 42 in the nozzle 4I of the lubricating unit acts upon ball 351:0 move it to the right against the action of. coil spring 36 until it strikes pin 31. At this time-the lubricantpasses around ball 35 into the space provided yby bore 32' and thus lubricates the bearing. When pressure on ball 35'is released, spring 36 moves ball 35 back into a seated position-.in hole 34 thus preventing any lubricant. from escaping from bore 32.

Referring novvto Figure 5, in which another modified form of construction is showmrbearing 1 shank 5lis similar t0 the shank Hh of bearing it (Figure 2) and has a bore 5| similar to bore il extending therethrough. Shank SI1-has a lubricating hole EZ'eXtend-ing therethrough,.the axis of which is radially aligned with respect tothe axis of bore 5l anddiametrically across bore 5I from hole 52 is a conically shaped recess. 53. A pin-55 has a head- 54 which is yieldingly held in engagement with the inner end of lubricating hole 52 by a coil spring 56. This spring.,.which is mounted on pin 55', acts :between headl 54 and the side wall of bore 5I. The right-hand end of spring 56, as viewed in Figure 5isv seated in recess 53. Head 54 is of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of hole 52 and in assembly head54 is passed .through hole. 52Ibya punch. After it has been inserted, the inneredgeof hole 52 forms a seat for head 54 because of the expansion of head 54 and contraction of. the wall of. the rod end.

In use when the tipof the nozzle (not shown) ofthe lubricating unit is inserted into the outer end of'lubricating hole 52,. the lubricantunder pressure forces head linvvardlyuntil the end' of pin 55 is seated in recess 53'. Thus' pin.55 limits inward movement of head 54 and maintains the parts in assembled relationship. At this time the lubricant can freely pass head 54 and flows into bore 5|, thus lubricating the bearing and lling the reservoir formed by bore 5I. Whenever the pressure of the lubricant is Withdrawn, the spring 56 presses head 54 outwardly to seat head 54 in the inner end of hole 52 and thus preventV any lubricant.- from.. escaping. from b'ore'5L` Through the use of the lubricating heads described hereinabove, the bearing I0 may be lubricated with a maximum of ease in a minimum of'time: Furthermore, the heads described hereinabove are so constructed that they may be readily'mounted upon and used in connection With a large variety of different types of bearings. Thus efficient and practical constructions have been disclosed in Which the several hereinabove objects, as well as many others, are successfully accomplished.

As many posjs'ible embodiments may' made of. theniechanical features ofthe above inven'- tion', a'rrdasmany changes might'be madeinthe ernbodiinentabove set'forth, all Without depart'- ing from thes'cope of" the invention, it is tobe understood, that all .matter hereinbefore set `forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings; is to be interpreted illustratively and not' in a limiting sense.

L'claimz.

1t In bearingconstruction, in combination, a member having a` bore/extending therethrough and hav-ing ahole extendingthroughitswall into 7 said.bore-,;,the'. ax-is of said-hole. being.,v at right anglesitofthe. axis of said bore, a second member havingf afcyl-indricall'y; shaped inner portion securelyfmountedfirrsaid hole: and extending across said borefto alb-utagain'st'theY opposite side thereof, the inner end of said second member being cut-01T ina radial plane',y whereby-'space is provided bet'vveenthe inner endfofsaid second member and thecurvedisidewall of said bore when said second member is'mounted onsaid first-mentioned member", said' second member having a lubricating hole extending therethrough and having a shapedY tol-lt' the mouth of a nozzle o'f a lubricant-injecting unit, and.A check valve means insaidsecondmember to prevent lubricant from flowing from. said spacaoutwardly from said. bore through. sai-d. lubricating.,- hole.-

2.-. Inlbearing construction, in combination, a member having a' bore extending.. therethrough and having a hole extending through its wallinto said.bore,.the.-axisof said hole being at right ang-lesf tothe. axis of said bore, a secon-d member having a cylindrically shaped inner portion securely. mounted in said. hole and extending across. said bore. to. abut. against the opposite .side thereof, the inner end otsaid second member being. cut on: ina. radial plane, whereby space is pro-vided.. between the.. inner end of said second member and the curvedside wall. of saidbore Whensaid secondmember is mounted on said mst-mentioned member. said. second member having a lubricating hole extending therethrough and-havingahead shaped to fit. the mouth or a -nozzleof a lubricant-injecting. unit, said lubrieating. holehavingfa portion of reduced diameter adjacent the. outer end thereof.- toprovide a valve seat, a chechballVV mounted .in said last-mentioned between. said checli ball and the wall of said bore against which the inner endr of s-aid second member abuts.

3. In bearing construction, in combination, a member having a bore extending therethrough and having a hole extending through its wall openina,r into Isaid bore, the axis of said hole being substantially at right angles tothe axis of t said bore, and a second member mounted in said hole and having a `cylindrically shaped inner portion .extending across said bore to abut against the opposite side thereof, the inner end of said second member being Icut off in a radial plane, whereby space is provided between the inner end of said second member and the curved side wall of said bore when said second member is mounted on said first-mentioned member,` said second member having a lubricating hole extending therethrough and having a, head shaped to fit the nozzle of a lubricant-injecting unit.

LEWIS R. HEIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

